Top 10 Banned Films For Alleged Offensive Religious Contents

Top 10 Banned Films For Alleged Offensive Religious Contents

5. Hail Mary


Year: 1985

In Hail Mary (Je vous salue, Marie), the Virgin Mary is a gas station attendant whose boyfriend, Joseph, drives a taxi. Even Pope John Paul II jumped into the battle over this controversial, modern retelling of the virgin birth story from Jean-Luc Godard, claiming that the film "deeply wounds the religious sentiments of believers.&quot.



4. Life of Brian


Year: 1979

Banned in Norway (1979-1980), Singapore, Ireland (1979-1987)
Brian was born in a stable next to Jesus and as a result is deemed a messiah, but he can’t seem to convince his followers otherwise.
Due to its heavy religious satire, the film was not well-received by many religious activists. In 2009, the thirty-year old ban of the film in the Welsh town of Aberystwyth was finally lifted. Sweden, on the other hand, used the controversy to its advantage, marketing the film as ‘The film so funny that it was banned in Norway’.



3. The Last Temptation Of Christ


Year:1988


“I am here to set fire to the world!” Martin Scorsese directed this adaption of Nikos Kazantzakis’ controversial 1953 novel that is notable for the scandal it caused as well as for its bizarre casting that included Willem Dafoe as Jesus, Barbara Hershey as Mary Magdalene, Harvey Keitel as Judas Iscariot, David Bowie as Pontius Pilate and Harry Dean Stanton as Paul. Numerous religious leaders throughout the United States organized protests against The Last Temptation of Christ (many of whom didn’t bother to make an effort to watch the film!) and several Southern cities such as Savannah, Georgia, banned the film. In addition, Blockbuster Video initially refused to carry the title in its stores. Scorsese was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for his efforts (Barry Levinson ended up winning the award for Rain Man).



2. Priest


Year:1967

Before Miramax dumped Kevin Smith’s Dogma or Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, they took a chance with Priest, a film about homosexuality in the cloth. The movie drew fire from conservative Christians in America and the Catholic church in Ireland, but pretty much fizzled in its release. Now it’s just a foot-note because after that South Park episode, it just doesn’t seem that bad.



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